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US 2014/0179957 A1Published application
Ethanol Refining Process Using Intermediate Reboiler
AssigneeCelanese International Corporation
InventorNathan Kirk Powell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to processes for producing and recovering ethanol using an intermediate reboiler. An intermediate stream may be withdrawn from a removal zone of a distillation column and recirculated through the intermediate reboiler to the distillation column. The distillation column may also comprise a bottoms reboiler.
Claims20
A process for refining ethanol from a dilute acid stream, comprising:
- introducing the dilute acid stream to an inlet zone of a distillation column to yield an overhead comprising ethanol;
- recirculating an intermediate stream, withdrawn from a removal zone, by passing the intermediate stream through an intermediate reboiler and returning the intermediate stream to the distillation column at or adjacent to the removal zone to supply heat to the distillation column,
- heating the distillation column below the removal zone with a bottoms reboiler and withdrawing a residue therefrom, wherein the residue comprises water and substantially all of the acid from the dilute acid stream;
- and
- recovering an ethanol product from the overhead.
2 more elements
A process for refining ethanol, comprising:
- hydrogenating acetic acid and/or an ester thereof in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- obtaining a dilute acid stream from the crude ethanol product that comprises a substantial portion of the ethanol from the crude ethanol product;
- introducing the dilute acid stream to an inlet zone of a distillation column to yield an overhead comprising ethanol;
- recirculating an intermediate stream, withdrawn from a removal zone, by passing the intermediate stream through an intermediate reboiler and returning the intermediate stream to the distillation column at or adjacent to the removal zone to supply heat to the distillation column,
- heating the distillation column below the removal zone with a bottoms reboiler and withdrawing a residue therefrom;
- and
- recovering an ethanol product from the overhead.
4 more elements
A process for refining ethanol from a dilute acid stream, comprising:
- hydrogenating acetic acid and/or an ester thereof in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product;
- separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a first distillation column to yield a first distillate comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate and water and a first residue comprising acetic acid;
- separating at least a portion of the first distillate in a second distillation column to yield a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate and a second residue comprising ethanol and water;
- separating at least a portion of the second residue in a third distillation column by introducing the second residue to an inlet zone of the third distillation column to yield an overhead comprising ethanol;
- recirculating an intermediate stream, withdrawn from a removal zone, by passing the intermediate stream through an intermediate reboiler and returning the intermediate stream to the third distillation column at or adjacent to the removal zone to supply heat to the third distillation column;
- heating the distillation column below the removal zone with a bottoms reboiler and withdrawing a third residue therefrom comprising water;
- and
- recovering an ethanol product from the overhead.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.